I'm always interested to hear about bands and individuals with crossover appeal. I've read articles and interviews where George Clinton, Branford Marsalis, and Wyclef Jean have expressed their admiration for Led Zeppelin's music, and I think it's to Led Zeppelin's credit that they can appeal to fans who don't necessarily listen regularly to rock music. Led Zeppelin has been sampled extensively by hip hop artists (John Bonham's contribution to LZ's sound has to be the main reason), and I've noticed quite a few younger blacks (teens and early 20s) wearing "Led Zeppelin 1977 Tour" t-shirts, I wonder if most of these t-shirt wearers are fans, or if somehow Led Zeppelin t-shirts have become fashionable like New York Yankees apparel. Which hard rock bands have had the most "crossover" appeal to (1) fans of any ethnicity who otherwise don't like rock music, and (2) to black, latino, and non-white people in general? In terms of songs, I know that Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" (even before the video with Run-DMC), AC/DC's "Back In Black", and Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" all had crossover appeal, but I'm not sure which groups (if any) had strong crossover appeal.

I was around older people when the Live Aid concert took place in 1985 (in the US). I was a kid among adults, and we were all watching it on MTV (I think). On stage were these older guys. I didn't know who they were but I had the impression that they must have been important based on their distinguished look as well as the reaction from the fans as well as older people sitting on the couch near me. Before their set, an announcer (MTV VJ?) kept on talking about how he "couldn't wait for the Led Zeppelin reunion". When Led Zeppelin started playing I didn't recognize any of the songs but the people around me did. One of the women didn't seem to like the band and sang the chorus to "Whole Lotta Love" with a mocking tone in her voice. Other people around me seemed to have their eyes fixed on the screen. I don't recall being impressed by the quality of the performance but I do remember thinking that I had to find out who these guys were and why people had formulated such strong opinions of them.